While there doesn't seem to be any validity to the black belt registration requirement, being a black belt or a trained fighter is different in the eyes of the court compared to those with no martial arts background.
Generally, there needs to be a weapon used during a fight to charge a person with "ADW" or Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Well, guess what folks? If you are in a fight and the District Attorney elects to press charges against you, one of the charges just may be ADW if they know about you martial arts/fight training background. In essence, you are a deadly weapon!
Professor Powell (or anyone else) - in your experience particularly as a LEO have you ever seen or heard of comments on Forums such as this one, Facebook, MySpace, etc. being used against a defendant who was charged as the result of a self defense situation. In order for the prosecution to show the character or pre-disposed mindset of the defendent from posts he/she may have made over time in their own words. (Can anything you posted be used against you in a court of law?)
I post this question with all do respect for this forum - but I am very careful and often hesitant to post comments on this forum because of the requirement to list ones true name and affiliation. I fully understand why that rule exists and is enforced here and again I respect that decision. But members should probably be a little extra careful when responding to posts in threads like - What kind of weapons do you carry? and how you would you use them, primary targets. Assault vs. Battery vs. ADW, Mayhem, Aggravated Mayhem, etc. Are you aware any statute or precedent regarding these post being admissible as evidence?
